


you dont have to walk a begonia

by indefensibleselfindulgence



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Character Study, Fluff, Gardens & Gardening, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:48:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22997935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indefensibleselfindulgence/pseuds/indefensibleselfindulgence
Summary: Welcome To The Mighty Nein.
Relationships: The Mighty Nein & Essek Thelyss
Comments: 14
Kudos: 166





	you dont have to walk a begonia

**Author's Note:**

> title from [ mort garson's very good plant music ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhMK4GYC_x4) which both is and isn't the vibe

Welcome to the Mighty Nein. 

It keeps echoing in his mind, over and over again, as he sits in his workshop alone. Infinitely better than the probable worry that would have been there instead, the fear that Caleb lifted to the surface, that his conspirators are going to hang him out to dry, and okay maybe that's a still there, in some capacity but Nott's- Veth's voice just keeps looping and looping and looping. 

He reports to his Queen, updates everyone he's meant to, and tells the few servants he employs about his fake trip to Asarius. He picks up his cleaned ceremonial robes and buys more ink and parchment and sits in his work room and keeps thinking about it. 

The absolutely radical kindness of their actions, of Jester holding his hand, of Caleb kissing his forehead, of Caduceus' unwavering understanding, it's just completely discombobulated every singular aspect of his life. 

He can barely focus on the research. 

So he takes a walk. 

How he ends up in his backyard with gardening supplies he doesn't know. 

Well, he does, conceptually. He went on a walk and stoped by a greenhouse and spent an obscene amount of money on plants and tools with which to plant those plants, and then he walked home. But what possessed him to drop three platinum on this completely confused new hobby- and it does have to be a hobby, he's decided, because how else is he going to justify this- he couldn't say. 

He has good dirt, he remembers Caduceus saying at some point. 

Welcome to the Mighty Nein. 

He digs for a lot of the day, sleeves and pant legs rolled up. It's exhausting work, and his muscles begin to ache an hour in, but he doesn't want to stop, not really. If he turns his head he can see their massive tree from here and it just makes him want to work even harder. 

He bought flower bushes and saplings, because – because they seemed harder to kill by accident. 

Begonias and azaleas and camellias and one bush of lilacs he imagines he could get growing up the wall. Some maples and peach trees to, though they're going to take years to bloom. Well- he glances at the behemoth of a tree- maybe he could be a little tricksy with them. 

“Hi Essek! Just checking up to see if you're not like totally depressed or something? We saw jellyfish today- it was really cool! Wish you-” Jester's voice makes him jump- which makes him also realize he hasn't been floating for some time now. Or using magic at all. 

He looks at his yard, feels the sweat drip down his back. 

It somehow didn't even occur to him too. 

“I'm fine. Busy gardening.” An absurd thing to say but he's not going to allow himself to back peddle. “If Caduceus has any tips to pass on I'll be glad to hear them. Enjoy your- Jelly fish?” 

There's no response so he settles back down on the ground, feet resting on the grass- he pulls his muddy boots off and flings them in the direction of the house before he gets back to work. 

There is the question of how exactly Caduceus manages to get things to grow without the sunlight. Gardening is a luxury entertainment here, probably why he was so heavily up charged for his new plants. 

An hour later, hes on his knees, trying to transfer his third maple when a coworker is at his door. 

He raises up in the air in an instant, grateful for his cloak and the way it covered all of the muck. 

…

“Hey Essek! Can you teleport to us! We have magic questions and crime questions and stuff uh- oh yeah! Bring your parasol! Or a any-” 

He's on his knees, weeding. 

It's been a week, a day of which was spent in the archives studying and not thinking about Dunamas but instead badgering the attendants on plant science and demanding foreign almanacs until they very kindly told him they were closing for the day. 

But his maples are as tall as he is and his peaches are starting to blossom, and it's all worth it. 

(Worth what?)

He stands up, brushing his hands down his smock. 

“I can be there in five minutes, but you would need to be stationary.” 

He's going to burn a lot of spells just to spend time with them, but it's the least he could do right? And it's not like he doesn't want to do this anyway. He cleans off and takes the time to scry on Jester, where she sits on the railing of their ship. He can see Yasha and Caleb who is... holding an octopus? Jester wasn't kidding about the parasol though, with how broad and dark the shadows they cast off are. The sun must be rising from the way the water looks. 

Essek opens his parasol and jumps. 

The smell of the ocean hits him first, then the rocking which makes the floating harder than it should be, and finally the brightness. His eyes sting, and water just enough that he has to close them before they start actually burning. 

“Hello.” Caleb whispers before there is an octopus on his face. 

“I presume it's yours and not just a random thing you found hanging off your boat?” 

“It's my cat.” 

“Of course it is.” Essek opens his eyes slowly, all the of tentacles tug off and Caleb is standing there, smiling. 

“In my defense, I was put up to it.” And he tilts his head in Yasha and Jester's direction. 

And then it's just like that night he had dinner with them. Falling into the steps he's only danced once before but it's good to be here. Jester jokes around and Caleb- Caleb still watches him with more attention but it's not as if it's wholly undeserved. 

“Breakfast- oh. Do you want to join us?” Caduceus stands in a door and Essek nods, maybe rushing a little bit to get below deck and out of the sun, maybe rushing because he missed Caduceus and presumably Fjord and Beau too. And to ask if Veth was with them or if she had decided to stay behind. 

“I've taken up gardening.” He says over breakfast and god, Caduceus really is a good cook. “Maybe Jester mentioned it.” 

“I forgot, sorry!” Jester calls from the other end of the table, tucked at Beau's side who gave him a long look and a nod earlier. “We were excited by you not being depressed.” 

“Ah.” 

“What are you planting?” Caduceus asks before he can start thinking too deeply into that. 

“Nothing impressive- nothing as impressive as your very large... attention grabbing tree.” 

“It brings the neighborhood together.” Beau says between bites and now Essek has his chance to nod back at her. 

“I can see it from the yard.” 

“An eyesore?” Fjord, to his left, or should it be Captain Fjord now? 

“An inspiration.” 

Caduceus smiles and pushes more fish on to his plate. 

He doesn't have the heart to tell him he already had breakfast. 

**Author's Note:**

> comments always very very appreciated
> 
> find me on[ tumblr ](http://iamalivenow.tumblr.com/) and [ twitter](https://twitter.com/miurmiurmiur)


End file.
